Stephanopoulos Signs Long-Term Contract With ABC News

ABC News has signed George Stephanopoulos to a long-term contract, solidifying its anchor positions on two important programs.

The deal, which ABC confirmed on Thursday, will cement Mr. Stephanopoulos’s roles as host of the network’s top-rated “Good Morning America” as well as its Sunday morning political affairs program, “This Week.”

There had been some concern about what Mr. Stephanopoulos might do as his contract was nearing its end (the current deal ran until late this year) because of other recent cast defections from “Good Morning America,” but the incoming president of ABC News, James Goldston, clearly made securing Mr. Stephanopoulos a priority. The agreement came many months before it had to.

ABC executives did not disclose the specifics of the deal except to underscore that it was for many years and would keep Mr. Stephanopoulos in place on both programs.

Jeffrey Schneider, the spokesman for ABC News, said, “George is an essential member of ABC News and we could not be more thrilled to extend his contract.”